ABANDON: To give up completely - abandoned the sinking ship

Synonyms: relinquish, forgo, forsake

ABASH: To lose self-confidence; to confuse, put to shame – abashed before the assembled dignitaries

Synonyms: fluster, disconcert, discomfit, discompose

Antonym: (adj.) self-possessed

ABDICATE: To give up claim to - abdicated the throne

Synonyms: renounce, abandon, relinquish

.ABET: To encourage -or support - treacherously abetted the enemy

Synonyms: spur, incite

Antonym: deter

.ABRIDGE: To shorten - abridged his lengthy speech

Synonyms: curtail, diminish, retrench

Anthonyms: protract, elongate, amplify

.ABROGATE: To abolish or render void - a treaty abrogated by mutual consent

Synonyms: annul, nullify, rescind, void

.ABSTEMIOUS: Moderate in the use of food or drink - abstemious in his habits

Synonym: temperate

ACADEMIC: Pertaining to school; theoretical academic interests; an academic discussion, with no practical implications

Synonym: scholastic

.ACCEDE: To agree to -accede to a request

Synonym: assent

Antonym: demur

.ACCELERATE: - To quicken, speed tip - took an accelerated course in order to graduate early

Synonym: expedite (adj). expeditious

Antonym: retard

.ACCOLADE: An award or salute - a tremendous accolade for a returning hero

Synonyms: tribute, ovation

.ACCORD: Agreement or harmony - in full accord with his view

Synonyms: concord, concurrence

Antonyms: dissension, discord

.ACRIMONIOUS: Sharp or harsh in language or temper - stung by the acrimonious remark

Synonyms: caustic, acerb, pungent, tart, mordant, acrid; (noun) asperity

Antonyms: suave, affable

.ACUMEN: Keenness of mind or insight - showing exceptional business acumen

Synonyms: perspicacity, discernment, perception

Antonym: obtuseness

.ADMONISH (noun: ADMONITION): To warn or find fault gently - admonishing the unruly child

Synonyms: chide, caution, reprimand, reprehend, reproach

.ADVERSARY: (adj.: ADVERSE): An opponent - his adversary in a bitter debate

Synonym: antagonist

Antonyms: cohort, confederate, ally, accomplice

ADVERSITY: Misfortune - calm in the face of adversity

Synonyms: affliction, mischance, reverses

AESTHETIC: Pertaining to the beautiful - interested in aesthetic values rather than in purely practical affairs

Synonyms: civil, complaisant, benign, gracious, genial, urbane, cordial

Antonyms: curt, brusque, rude, boorish, surly

.AFFLUENT: Prosperous, flourishing; copious - a large bequest from an affluent grandfather

Synonyms: opulent, profuse

Antonyms: destitute, impecunious

AGGRESSIVE (noun: AGGRESSION. an unprovoked attack): self-assertive; attacking, offensive - annoyed people by his aggressive attitude;

Synonyms: bumptious, officious, obtrusive

Antonyms: meek, humble, retiring, diffident

ALACRITY: Eagerness; cheerful promptness - responded to the flattering offer with alacrity.

Synonyms: celerity, briskness, energy, animation

Antonyms: apathy, nonchalance, sluggishness, lethargy, phlegmatism

ALIENATE: To estrange - altenated by his gruff manner

.ALLAY: To calm; to lessen in severity - at ease now that his fears have been allayed

Synonyms: appease, alleviate, pacify, assuage, abate, mitigate, propitiate, mollify, placate

Antonyms: intensify, aggravate

.ALLUDE (noun: ALLUSION): To refer to indirectly - alluded quite subtly to his friend's misfortune

Synonyms: insinuate, intimate, imply

Antonyms: refer, cite

.ALLURE: To tempt by flattery or an attractive offer - allured by the prospect of a new job

Synonyms: lure, decoy, inveigle, entice, seduce, wheedle, beguile, cajole

Antonym: repel

AMBIGUOUS: Uncertain, vague, capable of being inter- in more than one way - puzzled by the ambiguous statement

Synonyms: hazy, obscure, equivocal, dubious, nebulous

Antonyms: explicit, unquestionable

.AMENABLE: Obedient; willing to submit - amenable to the suggestion

Synonyms: tractable, docile, responsive

Antonyms: intractable, refractory, recalcitrant

.AMIABLE: Good-natured; friendly - attracted friends by his amiable disposition

Synonym: complaisant

ANACHRONISM: A thing placed or occurring out of its normal time - A machine gun at the Battle of Yorktown would be an anachronism

ANALOGY (adj.: ANALOGOUS): A relation between two things shown in the resemblance not of the things themselves but of their characteristics- He indicated points of analogy between the two situations

Synonyms: correspondence, affinity

Antonym: anomaly (a deviation from the general rule

.ANARCHY: State of confusion or lawlessness - a country brought to utter anarchy by civil war

Synonyms: chaos, pandemonium

.ANIMUS: A feeling of hatred-felt no animus, even against the enemy

Synonyms: enmity, rancor, malevolence, animosity

Antonym: amity

.ANNALS: Historical records - in the annals of literature

.ANONYMOUS: Of unknown authorship-an anonymous publication

.ANTHOLOGY: A collection of choice literary works – an anthology of modern poetry

ANTITHESIS (adj.: ANTITHETICAL) : Contrast; the direct opposite - His selfish attitude seemed to me the antithesis o patriotism

APATHY (adj.: APATHETIC): Lack of feeling, emotion, or interest - attributed his failure to apathy, rather than lack of ability

Synonyms: torpor, lethargy, sluggishness, listlessness, languor, lassitude, dispassion; (verb) languish

Antonyms: zeal, animation

APPREHENSIVE (verb: APPREHEND): Fearful - Being unprepared, John is apprehensive of the examination

.APPRISE: To inform -apprisedhis lieutenants of the new situation

.APPROBATION: Approval; praise -a plan that met with hearty approbation

Synonyms: sanction, commendation

Synonyms: sanction, commendation

Antonym: disapprobation

APT (noun): APTITUDE, APTNESS

(1) Likely; inclined or disposed - apt to succeed.

Synonym: prone

(2) Fit, suitable - an apt remark

Synonyms: appropriate, felicitous

(3) Skillful, expert - apt at woodcarving

Synonyms: deft, dextrous, adept. Antonym: inept

ARBITER: A person who has authority to decide matters in dispute - a fair decision rendered by the arbiter

Synonyms: mediator, arbitrator

ARCHETYPE: An original pattern - copies reproduced from the archetype

Synonym: prototype

Antonyms: Stereotype, facsimile, replica

.ARID: Dry; barren - the arid desert land

Synonyms: jejune, parched

Antonyms: arable, fertile

ARISTOCRACY: Government by the best people; a privileged class -special privileges enjoyed by the aristocracy

Synonym: oligarchy

Antonym: democracy

.ARMISTICE: A temporary suspension of hostilities. The armistice halted the war

Synonym: truce

.ARTFUL: Sly; crafty - attained his mean objective by artful measures

Synonyms: cunning, wily, adroit, ingenious, guileful

Antonyms: guileless, ingenuous, artless

ARTICULATE (verb): To speak clearly or distinctly - articulated slowly so that he could not be misunderstood

adj: Capable of speech; distinct, clear – an articulate man, always ready to give his views

.ASCETIC: Rigorously self-denying - pursued the ascetic life of a monk

Synonyms: austere, abstinent

Antonyms: wanton, self-indulgent

.ASKANCE: With distrust - looked askance at the forged signature

.ASSEVERATE: To declare positively; to confirm - asseverated his views with conviction

Synonyms: assert, avouch, aver, avow, allege

Antonyms: gainsay, controvert, recant, rescind, abjure, disavow

.ASSIDUOUS: Industrious - an assiduous worker, toiling long hours

Synonyms: sedulous, attentive, diligent, indefatigable

Antonyms: indolent, slothful

.ASYLUM: A place offering shelter and retreat -found asylum from persecution

Synonyms: sanctuary, refuge

ATHEIST: One who denies that God exists - The atheist declared, "There is no God

Synonyms: infidel, agnostic, skeptic

ATTRIBUTE (verb): Assign -attributed his success to bard work

Synonym: ascribe

noun: An inherent quality -Generosity was his outstanding attribute

AUGMENT: To increase or enlarge - an army augmented by numerous enlistments

Synonyms: enhance, amplify - Antonyms: abate, curtail

.AUSPICIOUS: Indicating a happy outcome - The prospect for this project appears auspicious

Synonyms: propitious, fortunate

Antonyms: ominous, foreboding

.AUTHENTIC: Genuine -proved to be an authentic document

Synonyms: veritable, bona fide

Antonyms: apocryphal, counterfeit, spurious, bogus

.AUTOCRATIC: Despotic - feared by the masses as an autocratic ruler

Synonym: tyrannical

Antonym: benevolent

.AVARICE: Excessive greed - a fortune accumulated by avarice and miserliness

Synonyms: covetousness, cupidity, avidity

Antonym: magnanimity

.AWRY: Unsymmetrical; not straight - the picture, hanging awry on the wall

Synonym: askew